Game apparatus to imitate base-ball



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAME APPARATUS TO IMITATE BASE-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,963, dated January 23, 1883.

' Application filed November 21, 1882. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE B. MoCooL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pottsville, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus to Imitate Base-Ball, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to games played for amusement, commonly known as boardgames, and my object is to provide an apparatus with which the game of base-ball may be played indoors by a single person or any number of persons. I attain my object by means of the device shown in the accompanying drawmg.

To construct my apparatus I take a board of suitable size, the top of which is level, and on its sides and ends I secure strips of wood or other suitable material, which project above the top of the said board, giving it the appearance of a shallowbox without a lid. The top of this board I lay off in representation of a base-ball field, showing the infield, outfield, bases, position of, players, and I divide the Whole surface into spaces, each of which represents some point in the game. The sides K i K and the ends H and H, projecting above the top of the board, form an inclosed space, as will be readily seen. On one end of the board, representing the extreme outfield, I affix a device for playing the ball, which is represented at A. To do this I secure the yoke F to the end H, as shown. The yoke has an opening, F, to allow the end of the plunger B to pass through. The plunger B has a shoulder or collar, D, and I place an elastic washer between this shoulder or collar and the endH to deaden noise and prevent battering the end H. I place a spiral spring, 0, on the plunger 13, as shown, one end of it resting against the shoulder or collar D and the other against the inside of the yoke F. The plunger B may be made of any shape desired; but I prefer to have it represent a base-ball bat, as the use of a bat is an important factor in a game of baseball. On the track between the bases, just beyond the first, second, and third bases, Ishow the points supposed to be occupied by the baserunners, X. The positions of the fielders and other players are all shown in the drawing.

Counters to represent base-runners may be used on the board, if so desired, the score and result of the game being written down or scored on a score-card. To operate or play the game, the plunger B is pulled back, which compresses the spring 0. The ball A is placed in position on the board directly in front of the end of the plunger, and the plunger is released. The ball is struck and rolls over the board, striking the end H, and bounding around the field until its force is spent. The division or space on which it rests is the point of the game made by the player. It the ball rests on the space marked out s. s, the player is scored out and shortstop given credit for the out on the score-card. If it rests on space marked ball or strike, it is so scored, and the ball is played again, and so continued until the game is played out.

I do not confine myself to any particular division or marking of spaces on the board, as any combination of plays may be represented at will, or the spacesmay be so marked that an easy game or a hard game may be played.-

Any and all points in the game may be shown and played by arranging or marking the spaces suitably.

The ordinary rules applying to a regular game of base-ball, or special rules adapted to the wishes of the players, may be used.

This game diifers from other board-games in the fact that it is an actual representation (so far as a board-game can be made) of an outdoor sport, givin gin detail the plays and points of the'real game, and holding the attention of the players faithfully.

the field divided intospaces or divisions, each space indicating some play or point in the game, in connection with a ball and a device sisting of the plunger B, having shoulder or for forcing or shooting the ball over the said collar D, washer E, spring 0, and yoke F, with IO field, as shown and set forth. the ball A, all arranged and constructed as 3. In a game apparatus for playing baseherein shown and set forth. ball, the combination of the representation of HORACE B. MGCOOL. a ball-field, as herein described, having sides Witnesses: K K and ends H and H, and the device for WM. KALBACH, shooting or forcing the ball over the field, con- MORGAN REED. at 

